Dubai’s new airport opens for business

Dubai opened its second airport on 27 July after the new airport passed a series of operational tests conducted during its first ‘live’ flight.

“This is an important milestone, not only for the airport’s certification process, but as another step towards achieving Dubai’s vision to become the pre-eminent centre for aviation worldwide,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports. “It’s also a testament to the cooperation and dedication of all of the organisations and stakeholders involved, who have done an impressive job of building and preparing Phase 1 of the facility for launch in a very short time frame.”

Phase 1 of the airport will feature one A380 capable runway, 64 remote stands, one cargo terminal with annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo and a passenger terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers per year. When completed, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will be the largest airport in the world with five runways, four terminal buildings and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo.

In short term Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum will increase the airport capacity of Dubai to accommodate the 48 per cent increase in cargo volumes from 1.9 to three million tonnes that is anticipated by 2015.

“The test was an unmitigated success not only for Emirates SkyCargo, but most importantly for our customer Swift Freight,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ divisional senior vice-president cargo. “The fact that the airport is connected to Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone by a bonded road which cuts transfer times significantly, is a strong sales point. Although our cargo hub continues to be Dubai International, there is no doubt that Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International, will play an increasingly important role – initially for spot cargo operations driven by customer need and eventually for scheduled freighter services.”